Cordarrelle Patterson became the first Bears kick returner to be named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month since Devin Hester did it in October 2011.
The wide receiver received the honor Wednesday after a month in which he averaged 29.4 yards over 10 returns, the third-longest average in the NFL. He had a 57-yard return to start the Bears-Lions game on Thanksgiving.
Patterson was honored, too, for his performance as a gunner on punts. He beat a double-team block out of bounds and downed two punts inside the 10 against the Giants.
Patterson won the award once with the Vikings, in September 2013. He is the second Bears player to receive a monthly honor since the end of the 2012 season — outside linebacker Khalil Mack won the defensive award in September 2018.
